The present invention relates to a high polymer suspension (slurry) which may be used for reducing drag and/or noise of waterborne vehicles.
High speed water vehicles such as submarines and torpedoes, undergo a considerable amount of drag. Research has been and is still being conducted to reduce this drag by ejecting relatively small amounts of polymer suspension into the boundary layer at a forward portion of the vehicle. This technique also results in a reduction of noise as the vehicle traverses the water. The polymer is carried aboard the vehicle and is disseminated through small orifices in the nose of the vehicle as desired. Prior methods included carrying the polymer in premixed water solution or in powder form. The premixed polymer solution, which usually contains 0.1% to 1% polymer, has not been acceptable because of the excessively large space required for storage. The powder form of the polymer tends to produce lumps when it is put in contact with the water and it is limited in its application because it cannot be pumped into the water stream at depth pressure. Previous polymer suspensions have had several shortcomings, such as insufficient stability, clogging of the orifices, and expensive to produce.